Improvement in top-props for carriages



E. D. CLAPP &. F. VAN PATTEN.

Top-Prop for Carriages.

No. 168,319, Patented Oct. 5,1875.

UNITED STATES PA ENT OEEIoE EMEROUS D. OLAPP AND FREDERICK VAN PATTEN, AUBURN, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN TOP-PROPS FOR CARRIAGES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 168,319.,dated October 5, 1875; application filed September 15, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, EMEROUS D. GLAPP and FREDERICK VAN PATTEN, of Auburn, county of Cayuga and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Top-Props for Carriages; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and eXact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing making a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 represents a side elevation of our top-prop. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same attached to the carriage-bow. Fig. 3 is a side elevation, showing our top-prop when two top-prop joints are used.

The nut which holds the prop-joints in position in common use is liable to become loose and drop off by reason of its turning, through frictional contact with said joints. Numerous devices have been employed to prevent this, among which may be mentioned lock-nuts and washers having inward projections which fit in corresponding recesses in the prop-joint bearing. These have'been expensive to manufacture, and have not always effected the desired result.

The object of our invention is to produce a top-prop which will obviate the above objection, furnish a cheap and secure support for the prop'joints, and which can be easily attached to the carriage-bow; and it consists in the devices hereinafter more fully set forth.

To the carriage-bow A a bolt, B, provided with a screw-thread, G, is secured by wings or plates D, forming a part of it. Fitting over this bolt is a cap, E, between which and the bow A the bow-leather is secured, oneend having a plane face, as shown at I, Fig. 2. A hollow sleeve, F, screw-threaded internally, fits upon the screw-threaded end 0 of the bolt B. This sleeve is provided at one end with a polygonal head, (or it may be provided with any of the common means by which it can be readily screwed into and out of contact with the cap 15,) and at the other end, which comes in contact'with said cap E, with a plane surface. This sleeve forms the bearing for the prop joint or joints G, which snugly fit upon it, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. When two or more prop-joints are used the sleeve is made longer, and washers may be placed between the joints, as shown in Fig. 3, although this latter is not necessary. This sleeve thus forms the bearing for the topjoints, serves as a means of securing the bow-leather in position, and being rigidly, in use, screwed against the cap E, the plane surfaces of its end and that of the cap, cohering by frictional contact, prevents the prop-joints from slipping off their hearing by unscrewing said sleeve. Instead of the cap E the bolt B may be enlarged, so as to form a square shoulder, against which the end ofthe sleeve may be screwed, and the bolt may be enlarged and made hollow, with an internal screw to receive the screwed end of the sleeve made solid, 'a shoulder being out upon the latter to abut against the plane face of the end of the bolt. We prefer, however, to employ the construction shown in the drawlng.

The advantages possessed by our top-prop are, that it can be cheaply manufactured; it can be attached to the carriage-bow without danger of splitting the latter; it aifords a ready means of securing the bow-leather, and prevents the prop-joints from moving off their bearing, as above described.

Having thus described our invention, and the merits it possesses, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The combination of ahollow screw-threaded sleeve with a bolt and a prop-joint or propjoints, substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination ota hollow screw-thread ed sleeve, a bolt, a prop-joint or propjoints, and a cap, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. As a new article of manufacture, a topprop for carriages, consisting of a bolt, B, having wings or plates D,a cap, E, a hollow screwthreadedsleeve, F, and a prop-joint or propjoints, G, substantially asshown and described.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EMEROUS D. GLAPP. FREDERICK VAN PATTEN.

Witnesses:

HORACE T. COOK, DELAMER E. CLAPP. 

